LANSING — Zaria Williams emerged from an early voting site in Lansing with a sticker and a big grin on her face.
“I was so excited to vote,” she said. “It makes me feel involved in my community… and I personally feel like it makes a difference.”
The 21-year-old voted in her first presidential election. She came with her mother, Tameka, to the first day of early voting in Lansing.
“(Zaria’s) done so much research,” said Tameka, 53. “Even though some of her views are a little different than mine, probably because of her age, I’m proud of how much she’s been able to talk to me about her views and was able to explain it to me.”
Before the two early voting locations in Lansing opened their doors at 8 a.m., dozens of people were already in line outside, said Chris Swope, Lansing’s city clerk. The south Lansing location, REO Elementary School at 1221 Reo Rd., saw a steady stream of people throughout the morning.
“It’s definitely more than we expected,” Lansing City Clerk Chris Swope said. “I’m pleasantly surprised.”
And this year’s stickers, designed by Michigan residents through a contest sponsored by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, are incredibly popular. Most people coming out of the polls grabbed one of the special stickers, instead of the typical “I voted” sticker.
Micah Stohr, 41, and Jessica Jeffery, 41, took a selfie with their stickers outside the early voting site.
“I got a text on my phone saying early voting started today, and we were having brunch, so we thought, why don’t we go right after?” Jeffery said. “Hopefully more people will take advantage of this opportunity.”
In DeWitt Township, a few miles north of the city of Lansing, the first day of early voting was in full swing. At the DeWitt Charter Township Hall, voters waited in a 45-minute line to cast their ballots.
“I think it was worth it,” Isaac Bomgaars said. The 19-year-old was voting for the first time and wanted to see the ballot in the tabulation himself.
“I wanted to feel like I was part of the process,” he said. “I think more people from my generation should vote.”
As in Lansing, voters lined up outside the DeWitt Township polling location before the doors opened at 8 a.m., said Adam Cramton, DeWitt Township clerk. At 1 p.m. on the first day of early voting, he said they had already surpassed the number of early voters in August.
Michigan voters were able to vote early in person for the first time ahead of the August primary, although statewide turnout was about 1% of the total vote.
Cramton said that while the line had grown and shrunk throughout the day, it had never completely disappeared. Pat Walczak, a voter from DeWitt Township, said she was surprised the line was so long.
“I liked that I could cast my vote early,” said the 71-year-old. “I just didn’t expect such a long line… Especially on a football Saturday.”
Scott Wood, who voted with his son in DeWitt Township, said he thought early voting was a good idea. He said he didn’t trust an absentee ballot would be counted and wanted to make sure his ballot made it into the tabulation. Because he works 80 hours a week running his own trucking company, he wasn’t sure he would be able to participate on Election Day.
Early voting must be available to all voters for at least nine days of eight hours per day through Sunday, November 3. State law allows local clerks to open early voting centers as early as Oct. 7.
The Department of State’s Voter Information website – michigan.gov/vote – has information on all early polling places and ballot drop boxes across the state. Voters can also find contact information for their local clerk.
Eligible voters who have not yet registered can still do so through Election Day, November 5, but must now register at their local clerk’s office, rather than by mail.
Contact Sarah Atwood at satwood@lsj.com. Follow her on X, @sarahmatwood.
This article originally appeared in Lansing State Journal: Early, in-person voting is underway across the Lansing area
